Problematic Terminology of the Manna Pericope (Exod 16:14-15) in the Light of Medieval Jewish Commentators and Biblical Hebrew Philology

Abstract

In this article, I shall discuss the adjective מחוספס and the word מן in the phrase מן-הוא, which both appear in the manna pericope in Exod 16:14-15. I will present the different interpretations suggested by medieval Jewish commentators as well as modern scholars and dictionaries, and I shall attempt to show which one of the medieval interpretations is the most appropriate in the light of modern biblical philology. Medieval Jewish commentators suggested four different interpretations of the word מחוספס, two of which, "rounded" and "uncovered", have also been supported by the findings of modern biblical philology. Two medieval commentators rightly interpreted the word מן in the phrase מן-הוא as an interrogative pronoun. This is also the commonly accepted interpretation in contemporary modern biblical philology.

Keywords

• exodus 16:14-15
• manna periocope
• jewish medial commentators
• jewish medieval grammarians
• modern biblical hebrew philology
• etymological equivalent
• semantic equivalent
• interrogtive pronoun